COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Along with the challenges of relocating Monday’s game from Mexico City to the Coliseum, the Rams are attempting to honor people involved in last weeks’ dual tragedies near their Thousand Oaks headquarters.

The Rams have donated approximately 3,500 tickets to first responders and victims, both of the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks and of fires that have ravaged Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Rams executives on Thursday talked about the game being a way both to pay tribute and celebrate people.

“I think you’re never prepared for tragedies, certainly tragedies like we saw last week and continue to see,” said Molly Higgins, the team’s vice president of community affairs and engagement. “As an organization, we always try to lead with our hearts and try to provide support where needed.”

The Rams, like thousands of others, have been impacted by the fires. They’ve been unable to work out of their Agoura Hills office, and dozens of team employees had to be evacuated from their homes, so staffers have been working remotely and attempting to deal with ticketing issues and relief-effort ideas.

The Rams, on Wednesday night, participated in a telethon that raised approximately $1.2 million for fire-relief efforts, and they’re still in the process of distributing tickets to law-enforcement agencies, fire departments, schools, the American Red Cross and other outlets impacted by the tragedies.

These are first steps for the team, which has said it wants to remain active in relief efforts for months to come. Higgins said she has daily conversations with the American Red Cross and other organizations, in order to get updates on how the team can most effectively provide support in the short term and long term.

Players have been encouraged to do outreach as well. Veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth donated his most recent game-week check to a fund for the shooting victims, and punter Johnny Hekker last week visited with first responders who battled the fires.

“Once we get past Monday night, we’ll all take a breath and try to understand where the needs are most acute and where we can be of service,” Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff said.

Rich Hammond was a high school senior when the Rams left town in 1995, and now he's their beat writer for the Southern California News Group. A native of L.A., Rich broke in at the Daily Breeze as a college freshman and also has covered USC, the Kings, the Lakers and the Dodgers. He still loves sports and telling stories. Don't take the sarcastic tweets too seriously.